Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, Aloha. I rise today in support of the Lee- Pascrell-Pierluisi-Welch-Sherman-Hirono-DeLauro-Israel-Himes amendment, which reverses the $126 million cut to the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program in H.R. 5326, the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2013. While I am a proud cosponsor of this amendment, last night I voted for the Grimm amendment to restore this important funding to keep our neighborhoods safe, which passed by two votes.

COPS grants provide funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire, preserve and/or rehire career law enforcement officers to increase their community policing capacity. COPS has been an unqualified success. Since this program was established, back when President Clinton was in office, violent crimes have declined throughout the country.

Our state and local law enforcement agencies in Hawaii and across the country have had to make tough choices and tough cuts to weather this economy. To date, COPS grants have funded over 500 additional law enforcement officers in the State of Hawaii, contributing to additional community patrols and other crime prevention efforts to protect lives and property. The restoration of COPS Program funding is critical to ensuring the safety of all our communities, while also protecting and creating jobs for the American people.

I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall Nos. 202 ``yes''; 203 ``no''; 204 ``no''; 205 ``yes''; 206 ``no''; 207 ``no''; 208 ``no''; 209 ``no''; 210 ``no''; 211 ``no''; and 212 ``no''.

Had I been present, I would have voted as indicated.

Mr. Speaker, Aloha. I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 105, which authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor's Center for the annual Kamehameha Day Lei Draping on June 24, 2012.

The event has been held on or around June 11th to coincide with the celebration of Kamehameha Day, a state holiday in Hawaii. The Kamehameha Day Lei Draping has been hosted by the Hawaii Congressional delegation and the Hawaii State Society of Washington DC since 1969; it parallels the lei draping ceremonies taking place at the Kamehameha statues on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii.

Commonly believed to be born in about 1758, Kamehameha came from a family of alii (chiefs) on the island of Hawaii and was raised to become a skilled warrior in the traditional ways of combat. In 1778, as a young man, Kamehameha met the world-renowned navigator, Captain James Cook, the first European to visit Hawaii. Kamehameha later led a successful campaign for control of his native island of Hawaii and subsequently conquered the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Oahu. With the agreement by King Kaumualii of Kauai to accept Kamehameha's rule in 1810, the island chain became a united kingdom for the first time. The islands became known collectively as Hawaii from that point on.

Under Kamehameha's reign, the islands became more involved in international commerce and a center for the sandalwood trade. As his kingdom opened up to the world and began adopting many western ways, Kamehameha remained an ardent defender of traditional Hawaiian culture and way of life, including restoring sacred sites. In the words of famed British explorer Captain George Vancouver, King Kamehameha was a man with ``an open, cheerful and sensible mind; combined with great generosity of disposition.'' Greatly mourned at the time of his passing in 1819, he continues to be revered in Hawaii and remains a respected historical figure today. A holiday in his honor was decreed by Kamehameha V, his great-grandson, in 1871.

This year marks the 43rd year of the annual Kamehameha Lei Draping Ceremony, which brings together people from Hawaii from all over the Washington area. Many also travel from the islands to take part in this beautiful showcase of traditional Hawaiian culture, including hula performances, traditional Hawaiian music, and honorary chants.

This yearly celebration would not be possible without the help and assistance of the outstanding staff of the Committee on House Administration, the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, and the Office of the Sergeant At Arms. We thank them again for their support this year.

A concurrent resolution must be passed to authorize the use of the space for this event due to the Kamehameha statue location in Emancipation Hall.

I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 105.

Mr. Speaker, ``Don't double my rate.''

I've heard this message loud and clear from college students in Hawaii and across the country. If Congress does not act, almost 17,000 student loan borrowers in Hawaii will

see their interest rates double on July 1. Hawaii college students will owe nearly $1,000 more next year.

I have heard countless stories of people in Hawaii burdened by student loan debt. One woman in Kailua told me she took out student loans to afford graduate school, and now teaches part time at Hawaii Pacific University. Her husband is a Marine who's currently deployed. She says, ``My education was important to me, but now I wonder if it was truly worth it. I have the education that has provided me the job of my dreams but we are drowning in so much student loan debt that I may have single-handedly ruined both of our futures.''

Hawaii students shouldn't have to drown in debt to achieve their dreams. Education is too important: it's the key to greater opportunity.

I know firsthand how education opens the door to a better life. I came to this country from Japan when I was nearly 8 years old. My mother courageously plotted and planned in secret in order to flee an abusive marriage and bring us to this country so we could have a better life. We came to Hawaii in steerage with little more than the clothes on our backs. I did not speak a word of English but my mother enrolled me in the public schools and that's where I learned to read, write and speak English. I used financial aid and student loans to put myself through college and law school.

A recent study found that by 2018, nearly two-thirds of jobs in Hawaii will require some type of post-secondary education or career training. Meanwhile, tuition is rising and student loan debt is a serious problem. The average Hawaii college graduate has over $15,000 in student loan debt. Nationwide, Americans now owe more in student loan debt than credit card debt.

In my first year in Congress, I cosponsored the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007. This bill passed on a strong bipartisan basis and was signed into law by President George W. Bush. This law cut low- and middle-income student loan interest rates in half, from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent. This provision will expire on July 1. We need a solution right away.

Yet, rather than seek a real, bipartisan solution like we did in 2007, the House Majority continues to play politics with the issues that matter most to our families.

Their latest ploy is H.R. 4628. This bill is a sheep in wolfs clothing. It supports college students, but on the backs of women and children. The bill would pay for keeping the lower interest rate for one year by repealing the Public Health and Prevention Fund. It's yet another partisan attack on the Affordable Care Act.

The Public Health and Prevention Fund has already had a major impact in Hawaii. Our state has received grants to provide vaccinations, HIV testing, obesity and smoking prevention, and warning systems for disease outbreaks. The Public Health and Prevention Fund is supported by American Academy of Pediatrics--Hawaii Chapter, American Lung Association in Hawaii, CHOW Project, Faith Action for Community Equity, Hawaii Island HIV/AIDS Foundation, Hawai'i Primary Care Association, Hawaii Public Health Association, Malama Pono Health Services, and Papa Ola Lokahi. National organizations supporting this fund include the AARP, Alzheimer's Foundation, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, American Nurses Association, March of Dimes, and hundreds more.

Today's vote is a false choice. Let's stop playing games with our students' future, and let's not balance the budget on the backs of women's and children's health. Today's vote is just a skirmish. The game is not over. We need a real solution right away.

That's why I'm a cosponsor of the Stop the Rate Hike Act, H.R. 4816. This bill would keep student loan interest rates low for another year, long enough to find a longer-term solution. We'd pay for this by ending tax loopholes for big oil companies. These companies are already raking in record profits, and don't need another year of handouts from you and me.

I voted today to take up H.R. 4816, a real solution for our students. I urge my colleagues to come together and get this done.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to express my opposition to the bill passed by this chamber last night, H.R. 4348, the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, Part II.

Each day that Congress fails to act on a long-term reauthorization of our nation's surface transportation programs is another day that our roads and bridges deteriorate. It's another day that our states and counties will be unable to plan and budget for projects to improve our communities and facilitate commerce. And it's another day that workers in the hard hit construction industry will have to wait for a chance to get back on the job.

It would have been a tremendous victory for the American people if the House had come together as the Senate did last month. They passed a two year transportation bill on a strong, bipartisan vote of 74 22. It isn't a perfect bill, but it is a step forward for strengthening our economy and getting people back to work.

However, the Majority in the House has blocked every attempt to have a clean, up or down vote on the Senate's bipartisan bill. Instead, they have chosen to pursue controversial, ideologically driven proposals. In fact, the bill this chamber passed yesterday has already drawn a veto threat from the White House for its inclusion of provisions to unnecessarily expedite the Keystone pipeline project. It would also undermine environmental protection procedures that allow our constituents the opportunity to weigh in on projects that impact their communities and quality of life.

These are not small policy changes. The Keystone XL pipeline is a huge project that could have significant consequences for years to come. It deserves rigorous and objective analysis to determine whether it is in fact in the best interest of our nation's future to approve and construct such a project.

Changing our environmental protection procedures for infrastructure projects requires the same sort of thoughtful debate and careful analysis. Infrastructure projects are long-term--they fundamentally change communities. We need to make sure that the impacts of these projects, and the views of local residents and businesses, are taken into account before taxpayer funds are committed.

I do support the provisions of H.R. 4348 that will allow for full utilization of funds in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and provide for additional resources to continue restoring the Gulf Coast. I believe that these are important issues for the House and Senate to consider during their Conference.

However, I am still disappointed that the House has failed to come together on legislation that has historically been truly bipartisan. I hope that Conferees will get to work expeditiously and come up with a product that can receive bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House.

We owe it to our states, communities, and the families that depend on paychecks in the construction industry to move this forward quickly.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to discuss two bills that this Chamber passed earlier this week, H.R. 2779, a bill to exempt inter- affiliate swaps from certain regulatory requirements put in place by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and H.R. 2682, the Business Risk Mitigation and Price Stabilization Act.

The stated intent of these bills seems simple enough--to make supposedly necessary exemptions and clarifications to the Dodd-Frank Act. However, Americans for Financial Reform, a coalition of over 250 unions, consumer groups, think-tanks, and others have raised some serious concerns about the negative consequences these changes could have on the implementation of the law, and also question whether these changes are even necessary.

Certainly it is appropriate for Congress to revisit laws that have been passed, and to conduct oversight of the work of regulators. However, Congress has asked the Commodities Futures Trading Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission to do a complicated job monitoring a big and complex market.

How big and how complex? According to The Economist, the world's gross domestic product totals approximately $65 trillion. The total value of the global trade in derivatives is estimated to be 10 times larger than that--over $600 billion. Warren Buffett has even stated that derivatives are ``financial weapons of mass destruction, carrying dangers that, while now latent, are potentially lethal.'' Unfortunately, as the spectacular collapse of AIG made clear, we know that he was right.

The Dodd-Frank Act was passed to reign in the abuses that caused the financial crisis, and to establish clear rules of the road to help prevent another crisis from ever happening. I believe, as Americans for Financial Reform point out, that the law provides regulators with the flexibility to address the issues that H.R. 2779 and H.R. 2682 seek to address without changing the statute. We need to let them get on with the job they've been asked to do.

Therefore, I opposed passage of these measures.

Mr. Chair, this week we celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.

The Affordable Care Act is designed to fix so many of the things that ail our health care system and burden everyday families. The new law has already had a major impact on families in Hawaii.

Senior citizens in Hawaii now have some relief from the high cost of prescription drugs. In 2010, over 24,000 people with Medicare in Hawaii received tax rebates to cover prescription drug costs.

One senior from Waimea on Hawaii Island told me her $250 Medicare rebate check was ``a blessing'' in these tough economic times. She was able to use that money to pay for her other medical bills.

In 2011, more than 21,000 people in Hawaii with Medicare saved close to $7 million on prescription drugs. The ``donut hole'' gap in coverage will be closed by 2020.

A mother in Kailua told me that because of the Affordable Care Act, she could now add her 21 year-old son and 24 year-old daughter to her work-sponsored insurance plan.

These are just two of the over 5,000 Hawaii young adults who can now stay on their parents' plan until age 26. This Kailua family is now using the thousands of dollars saved on health insurance each year for other household needs, including paying down past medical debt.

The old saying is true, that ``an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.'' Preventive services like mammograms, colonoscopies, and wellness visits can detect problems early and prevent higher costs later.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, nearly all 210,000 Hawaii people with Medicare can now get preventive services without a co-pay or deductible. In addition, 240,000 people in Hawaii with private insurance are now eligible for preventive services--including women's health services such as domestic violence screenings and contraception--without a co-pay or deductible.

The Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act already covers employees who work for more than 20 hours per week. As a result, a large percentage of our people can get the healthcare they need to stay healthy. We have a low rate of uninsured. And that saves all of us money.

This is why I fought hard to preserve the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act in the House bill. I offered an amendment to preserve Hawaii's law and defended my amendment in committee, convincing my colleagues to support my amendment. Then, all of us in the delegation worked together to make sure the final Affordable Care Act law maintained Hawaii's law.

Because of Hawaii's Prepaid Health Care Act, most employers in Hawaii already provide health coverage. The Affordable Care Act makes it easier for Hawaii small businesses by providing tax rebates to help pay for health care costs. Nearly 29,000 Hawaii businesses are eligible for tax credits under the law.

Today I also met with leaders from eight of Hawaii's Community Health Centers. The Affordable Care Act helps fund these 73 health center sites that serve our highest-need rural and underserved communities, especially on the Neighbor Islands and rural Oahu. These health centers care for over 130,000 people and provide nearly 1,300 jobs throughout the state. The message these health leaders shared with me today is that the Affordable Care Act has made a positive difference in the lives of so many.

Given how much the Affordable Care Act is already helping Hawaii, it is unfortunate that some in Congress want to repeal it. Because they can't repeal the law all at once, they have continued to try to de-fund the law or repeal one piece at a time.

Today we're seeing another example of this, with H.R. 5. This bill would repeal the law's Independent Payment Advisory Board, also known as the IPAB.

This board is a panel of experts that will make recommendations so taxpayers aren't paying for unnecessary Medicare procedures. This will save taxpayers billions of dollars, while protecting Medicare patients. The board would not be allowed to recommend any cuts to reimbursement rates that ration or harm patient care. Congress would vote on the board's recommendations, or come up with an alternative that reduces cost growth by more.

In fact, because the Affordable Care Act has already reduced the growth in Medicare costs, the Board's recommendations wouldn't even be triggered until 2022 at the earliest.

I have heard from some medical providers in Hawaii who are worried the IPAB will recommend cuts to their specialty. These providers say they might choose not to see Medicare patients. I can understand their concerns, but here's the thing: Medicare costs are going

up partly because of expensive and sometimes unnecessary procedures. Most members of Congress aren't scientists or health care researchers, so a panel of experts would be better suited to use the best research to recommend reforms. I will vote against a bill to repeal IPAB that doesn't put a better system in its place.

Unfortunately, this week the House Majority released a budget plan (the Ryan Budget) that would end the Medicare guarantee for our seniors. The Ryan Budget would again turn Medicare into a voucher system where seniors would have to purchase private plans. Private plans could deny and delay coverage, without Medicare's consumer protections our seniors get today. Last year's House budget tried this same plan, and the Congressional Budget Office said it would increase costs to people on Medicare by $6,000 per person starting in 2022.

The bill we're voting on today, H.R. 5, also recycles an old misguided proposal for medical negligence reform. Someone who is harmed by misconduct by a health professional should not be barred from appropriate compensation for a permanent disability or loss of a loved one.

The reality is that most medical providers are doing the right thing. A small percentage of doctors are responsible for over half the medical malpractice cases. We shouldn't be protecting this minority of providers over the rights of patients injured through these providers' negligence. Today's bill would deny justice to those who have been harmed by a small number of medical providers.

Today's bill, H.R. 5, would also hurt states' rights by preempting state medical malpractice laws. A cap on damages for physical impairment, pain, suffering, and even death could not exceed $250,000, regardless of individual states' existing limits.

Today's bill also extends far beyond medical malpractice. It would also apply to limit patients' rights in all ``health care lawsuits,'' which could include cases against pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, nursing homes, HMOs, insurance companies, and hospitals.

While proponents of medical malpractice reform argue that frivolous lawsuits are driving up insurance premiums, the fact is, economic studies have shown that medical malpractice payouts are not the cause of higher premiums for consumers. Instead, premium increases are caused by other factors, such as too little competition in the private insurance market.

I urge my colleagues to reject H.R. 5.

On the second anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, we should be fighting to make healthcare more accessible for our people, not less.

Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much).

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 112, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Personal Explanation

Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity today to commemorate the remarkable life of Congressman Donald Payne.

I am deeply saddened that my friend Don is no longer with us. Don was a special man who touched the lives of so many. He truly saw his life's work as a way to serve others and make the world a better and more just place. His compassion for all will be sorely missed.

Don was my colleague in the Education and the Workforce Committee, and I saw firsthand the passion he brought on behalf of America's children. He was a constant advocate for early education, recognizing that all children deserve a solid educational foundation regardless of income or circumstances. He recognized the power of education to further civil rights, and he strongly supported Historically Black Colleges and Native Hawaiian education. More than anything, Don saw education as a tool to create a more just and civil world.

Don's compassion extended to those suffering abroad. He worked tirelessly to promote democracy around the world, and I was fortunate to travel with Don to Haiti as part of the House Democracy Assistance Partnership, of which he was a founding member. Our bipartisan team greatly appreciated Don's leadership and experience, and his presence helped gain the U.S. delegation the respect of our Haitian colleagues.

But Don's largest overseas focus was on Africa, where he traveled to dangerous conflict areas in Somalia and Darfur. Don refused to stand by and watch the suffering of innocent African families and children. As noted by Steve Heyes, President of the Corporate Council on Africa:

Africa mourns today for it has lost its greatest advocate

in America with the passing of U.S. Congressman Don Payne,

and such an advocate with so much experience and passion will

not rise again soon. So, too, did the poor and downtrodden

lose one of the few such Congressman who still cares about

their fate and understood their lives so well.

Madam Speaker, I know that Donald Payne has left a lasting impact on the world. We can all start to live up to his example by living our lives with empathy and compassion. While he will be sorely missed, he will never be forgotten. I join with my colleagues and with all of his friends and colleagues in giving thanks for Congressman Donald Payne's life of service.

My thoughts and prayers are with Don's family and friends. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Waialua High School Robotics Team, the ``Hawaiian Kids,'' on winning the prestigious Chairman's Award at the 2011 FIRST Robotics World Championships and to recognize its impressive contributions to the founding and expansion of robotics in Hawaii. The FIRST Chairman's Award recognizes a program's contributions to robotics, service to other robotics programs, and overall excellence. Waialua High School was one of 48 teams nationwide competing for the prize.

The judges of the 2011 FIRST Championship described the winning team as ``helping transform the region from an area of agricultural industry decline to one where the accomplishments of these students are celebrated as an indicator of promise for the future.'' All of the team members of the ``Hawaiian Kids'' graduate from high school, compared to the region's average of a less than 30 percent graduation rate, and all of the school's valedictorians in the past four years have been members of the robotics team. The team has shown great promise as science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) leaders and innovators with 90 percent of the members pursuing careers in STEM fields.

Founded in 1999 by Glenn Lee, a Career and Technical Education teacher and electrical engineer, the Waialua High School Robotics Program has become a model for engaging students in STEM and college- readiness courses. The ``Hawaiian Kids'' were the first FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team in Hawaii and initiated the development of other teams statewide. Its accomplishments have been shared with local government representatives, their community, and schools throughout our State. Today, close to one-third of Hawaii's high schools have an FRC team, the highest percentage of involvement in the Nation.

While the ``Hawaiian Kids'' have experienced great success over the past few years, they continue to embrace their program's motto: ``It's not all about winning, it's about teamwork, commitment and responsibility.'' Congratulations to the members of the Waialua High School Robotics Team for all their accomplishments, their dedication sharing robotics and STEM education with their peers, and continuing to raise Hawaii's academic standards.

Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much).

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Ka`u Coast Preservation Act, a bill directing the National Park Service to assess the feasibility of designating coastal

lands on the Ka`u Coast of the island of Hawaii between Kapao`o Point and Kahuku Point as a unit of the National Park System.

The National Park Service has issued a reconnaissance report that made a preliminary assessment of whether the Ka`u Coast would meet the National Park Service's demanding criteria as a resource of national significance.

The reconnaissance survey concluded that ``based upon the significance of the resources in the study area, and the current integrity and intact condition of these resources, a preliminary finding of national significance and suitability can be concluded.'' The report goes on to recommend that Congress proceed with a full resource study of the area.

Although under significant development pressure, the coastline of Ka`u is still largely unspoiled. The study area contains significant natural, geological, and archeological features. The northern part of the study area is adjacent to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and contains a number of noteworthy geological features, including an ancient lava tube known as the Great Crack, which the National Park Service has expressed interest in acquiring in the past.

The study area includes both black and green sand beaches as well as a significant number of endangered and threatened species, most notably the endangered hawksbill turtle (at least half of the Hawaiian population of this rare sea turtle nests within the study area), the threatened green sea turtle, the highly endangered Hawaiian monk seal, the endangered Hawaiian hawk, native bees, the endangered and very rare Hawaiian orange-black damselfly (the largest population in the state), and a number of native endemic birds. Humpback whales and spinner dolphins also frequent the area. The Ka`u Coast also boasts some of the best remaining examples of native coastal vegetation in Hawaii.

The archeological resources related to ancient Hawaiian settlements within the study area are also very impressive. These include dwelling complexes, heiau (religious shrines), walls, fishing and canoe houses or sheds, burial sites, petroglyphs, water and salt collection sites, caves, and trails. The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail runs through the study area.

The Ka`u Coast is a truly remarkable area: its combination of natural, archeological, cultural, and recreational resources, as well as its spectacular viewscapes, are an important part of Hawaii's and our nation's natural and cultural heritage. I believe a full feasibility study, which was recommended in the reconnaissance survey, will confirm that the area meets the National Park Service's high standards as an area of national significance.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the North Maui Coastal Preservation Act of 2012, a bill directing the National Park Service to study the suitability and feasibility of designating certain lands along the northern coast of Maui, between Sprecklesville and Paia, as a unit of the National Park System. I have previously introduced this bill in the 110th and 111th Congresses.

The citizens of Maui strongly support preservation of this coast, which provides important open space and public beach areas.

The beautiful coastline of North Maui is under significant development pressure. Its closeness to major population centers in Maui and its popularity with both visitors and residents makes protecting access a major priority.

Supporters of this park have asked that it be named after Congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink, a native of Maui who grew up in the Hamakua Poko/Paia area. While this bill, which authorizes a study, does not direct what the prospective national park would be named, I would certainly support naming it after Patsy Mink, whose commitment to the people of the island and state was without question.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 22, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in sending a fond aloha to our friend and colleague, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

We have all been deeply touched and inspired by Gabby's courage, spirit, and her pure love for Arizona and our Nation. Her admirers and friends in Hawaii and across the country will continue to pray for her ongoing recovery.

I hope that we in Congress will redouble our efforts to come together and work in the spirit

of laulima (cooperation) to find common ground with our colleagues across the aisle on the issues that matter most to our country. That's how we can truly honor our Gabby's service and courage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of a bill that I'm introducing today, the Airline First Responder Workplace Fairness Act.

As the world's most geographically isolated archipelago, my home State of Hawaii is uniquely dependent upon air travel. It is the primary mode of transportation for people travelling to Hawaii from the U.S. mainland and other countries--as well as from island to island.

Flights to and from Hawaii are long. They cover vast expanses of ocean and cross several time zones. Because of these unique circumstances, I am acutely aware of the importance of ensuring that the members of every flight crew are rested and alert while doing their duties.

The legislation that I'm introducing today is designed to strengthen necessary workplace protections for flight attendants to enhance the safety of the travelling public.

This bill will help put in place common-sense policies to prevent flight attendant fatigue. These are the same types of policies that the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 required for pilots. That legislation passed the House by voice vote and the Senate by unanimous consent.

I believe passage of that legislation was a strong statement that Congress recognizes fatigue is clearly detrimental to air crews' ability to do their jobs safely--and to ensure the safety of the travelling public.

Unfortunately, the legislation and rulemaking that provided pilots with standards to guard against fatigue failed to include flight attendants.

However, Congress had previously enacted legislation that directed the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) to study the topic of flight attendant fatigue. Funding to carry out this study has already been appropriated and the study has been completed. The results of the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute's study support the conclusion that action on this front is needed.

The study has found that ``fatigue is a pervasive condition across the flight attendant community.'' Moreover, in June of 2007, the former international president of the Association of Flight Attendants, Patricia Friend, testified before the House Aviation Subcommittee on flight attendant fatigue. She indicated that since 9/11 the security responsibilities of flight attendants have greatly increased. Flight attendants must always be vigilant of what is going on in the aircraft cabin--and, as I'm sure we all know, fatigue seldom makes one more vigilant.

To underscore this point, I'd like to highlight a quote from a flight attendant's safety report filed with NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System. This person said, ``I am filing this report because I was so tired I don't know if I made any mistakes. I know the trip was legal, but it wasn't humane.'' Another flight attendant reported that she had to pinch herself just to stay awake.

That quote should be a chilling call to arms. No one, in any occupation, should ever be so exhausted that they have to pinch themselves to stay awake, or be unable to remember if they've made a mistake at work. That type of environment is bad for workers and bad for the people who are depending on these workers to safely do their job.

My legislation will move past the study stage and take the next step toward ensuring the safety of both our in-flight workforce and the travelling public, while doing so in a collaborative manner that includes input from the aviation industry.

The bill does this by directing the Federal Aviation Administrator to establish an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) comprised of aviation industry stakeholders, labor representatives, and safety experts.

This ARC would then have 1 year to examine the findings and recommendations of the CAMI study, and develop its own recommendations for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to utilize in developing a final regulation. The FAA would then have 1 year to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking on the issue, and would then be required to issue a final rule 18 months after that.

I believe that this legislation sets out a fair, collaborative timeline for dealing with this important issue and ensuring the safety of both our in-flight workforce and the travelling public.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to see this important legislation advanced.